1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus with a print function and to an image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A shared MFP, which is connected to a network and used by a plurality of users, has a function of converting scanned image data into a file format and sending the data to a designated network address via the network (in the following, called a “Send” function). For example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H11-146119.
Also, for the purpose of avoiding network overload and the danger of data interception on the network, a system for exchanging data in file formats such as PDF and TIFF among devices (including information processing device such as personal computer) that is becoming increasingly popular is implemented by connecting a portable medium (for example, USB memory) to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port of an image forming apparatus and then making the USB memory accessible.
Also, for the purpose of curbing unauthorized forgery and information leakage due to important documents being copied, images, such as a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern, which is a special background image or text that appears when documents are copied, or a copy number, are merged on the background of the documents, which achieves the effects of curbing the copying of the original documents.
However, in such a data exchange that uses the “Send” function and the USB memory, the security for images is as yet far from sufficiently prepared. For example, since the application of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern and the like are processes carried out upon printing, when executing the “Send” function and when writing to USB memories, which do not involve the print function, the original image can be acquired as-is.